The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-09-28
In THE CORRALS.
How Cowboys Mark and Brand
Calves Every Summer.
The Hunt for and Corraling of the Cattle
The Unhappy, Muscular and Troubles
some Calf - A Torture Less
Cruel Than 1t Seems.

The past two months, says letter
from Harvey Lakes, Ore, to the San
Francisco Post, have not been happy
ones for the calves which have been
browsing around the borders of this
lake, for stout campaign has been di-
rected against them. and several hum
dreds of young animals have been
marked and branded during the
past few days. 1t would seem that the
operations entailed a vast amount
of pain upon them, but owing to the
toughness of the brutes' hides. the
bluntness of their nerves, and their
general easy nature, steer or a heifer
does not seem to experience more than
momentary Inconvenience from the
necessary mutilation.
This campaign calls for an extraor-
binary degree of physical exertion on
the part of the cowboy. He responds
to the call with all the alacrity of his
ardent nature. The principal part of
this work lies at the corrals, some five
miles from the house.
1t takes great deal of preparation
to get ready for such trip. The huge
wagon had to be loaded with the camp
outfit and it need not be imagined
that the cowboy undertakes such an
expedition without very formidable
array of impediments. Mattresses are
taken along, and goodly assortment
of blankets, for, though the days may
be warm, yet on shutdown there arises
such a breeze that it may be likened to
an arctic tornado. On this occasion
there was no less than six mon in the
outfit, the wagon being intrusted to
the care of the man who had the
honor of giving the famous bear CLUB
Foot" his club-foot, and who is we'll
noted throughout the country round
as poet, hunter and philosopher. His
poetic compositions on the Modoc
war and other National events would
rank in his opinion as one of the
classics, if it were not for the deplor-
able fact that he lives in 50 degenerate
and unsympathetic an age.
THE HUNT FOR CATTLE.
On arriving upon the stamping
ground it is the plan to split into par
ties and thoroughly scour different
sections of the country for COWS and
their calves. This is no easy matter,
as the cattle seem to band together
and range for few miles in small
societies, and then again few miles
distant another herd may DO found.
This entails upon both horse
and rider great deal of exer-
ton, for often the cattle are
hard to drive, charging about in all di-
rections, and keeping the horse in a
state of fretful excitement When,
however, all the cattle have been
gathered in the allotted section they
are driven to convenient locality and
there held until the band arrives from
the other section. Then commences a
babel, the like of which can be heard
only when near vast herd of COWS.
The lowing and the believing that a
couple of hundred COWS can make has
no equal in the world. 1t Is a regular
swelling noise q regular wave of dia-
bolical, never-ceasing sound in all notes
and keys. from the squeak of the suck
ing pig to the angry roar of an cnraged
Ion. Belief in the ancient fable that
cow is contemplative creature and
religiously occupies all her leisure
moments in chewing the cud is very
speedily dropped on a close
acquaintance with the range COW.
There one realizes that the cow occu.
pies her time with believing consider
ably when she is heading for corral.
and is not at all of docile nature, but
is inclined TO be obstinate aud extreme
ly stupid. In fact there are very few
animals that have more lavish
amount of abuse showered on them
than the range cow-perhaps with the
exception of the Hindoo plowman'
cow, which not only gets yillainously
abused, but gets her tail twisted.
When the cows have all been punched
together, then comes the Somewhat
oifflenlt task of separating the al.
ready branded calves and their moth
ers' 1t is duty which requires as
much discretion from the horse as from
The man, for the horse that knows his
business will soon recognize the COW
and the calf that are wanted, and will
drive them out from the herd with,
perhaps, but little guiding from its
rider. The cows then are all huddled
together in narrow plain which Dor.